Wire fence.



. No. 632,585. Patented Sept. 5, I899.

F. R. PARKER.

WIRE FENCE.

(Application filed Apr. 9-)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK ROBERT PARKER, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN.

WIRE FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,585, dated September 5, 1899.

Application filed April 11,1899. Serial No. 712,589. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK ROBERT PARKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Battle Creek, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WVire Fences; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in metal-work construction, more particularly to improvements in metal or wire fence construction; and the objects and nature of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, as an example of one form of several in which my invention can be embodied.

The invention consists in certain novel features in construction and in combinations and in arrangements of parts and details, as more fullyand particularly pointed out and specified hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of a metal picket or fence-post constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the line or fence wires locked thereto by mechanism involved in my invention. Fig. 2 is an edge view of the picket, the line-wires locked thereto being shown in cross-section. Fig. 3 is a front View of the construction in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a rear View thereof. Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-section showing more clearly the biting, sharp, or saw edges of the picket against which the line-wire is forced and over which it is bent by the wedge or locking-pin. Fig. 6 is a detail View of one of the locking-pins or wedges. Fig. 7 is a detached view of the picket, showing the slots with rounded ends conforming in a measure to the round wire generally employed.

In the drawings, a is a picket, post, or brace for a wire fence or other wirework construction. This article a is formed of an angle bar or plate. The bar is of any suitable length for the purpose intended and is formed of sheet metal bent or doubled to render the bar angular in cross-section ,usually, although not necessarily, forming an angle less than a right angle, or, in other words, an acute an gle, with the apex arranged longitudinally and preferably centrally along the front side, face, or edge of the bar. It will thus be noted that the rear face or faces of the bar form a longitudinal recess or concavity.

Z; are the line-wires of the fence, arranged in any suitable manner and any distance apart and of any number, as required by the conditions or purposes for which the fence or inclosure is intended.

The bars a (although only one is shown) can be arranged any suitable distance apart and can be formed of desirable lengths to transversely cross all of the line-wires of the fence, as shown in the drawings,or otherwise, so that any one bar or picket receives and looks a less number than all the wires of the fence. However, these bars or pickets are preferably arranged vertically and of such a length as to intersect the planes of all the line-wires of the fence, and mechanism is usually provided to lock each line-wire to the picket at the desired distances apart.

The picket or bar is formed with one or more transverse notches or slots a, cut or otherwise formed across its apex or front face. The slot extends from the apex inwardly in the two wings or diverging sides of the angle iron or bar any suitable distance and is of a width to receive wires of various sizes. The inward depth of the slot is sul'licient to permit the wire to rest against the edges of the bar at the inner ends of the slot and receive a locking key, wedge, or pin 0 within the angle of the bar and between the same and the wire, so that the wire passes through intermediate portions of both diverging wings or sides of the bar and is inclosed within the bar.

The two walls or edges (0 of the bar or picket at the inner ends of the transverse slot are cut at an angle to the planes of the wings of r the two said sharp binding edges of the bar at the inner ends of the slot. The said key has a flat face bearing against the wire. Said face is preferably inclined longitudinally and upwardly of the key, so that downward movement of the key binds and forces the wire against said biting edges and tends to increase the kink or bend of the wire if the wire was formed with the same previous to application of the key. The key preferably tapers or inclines downwardly at the face engaging the wire or at all of its faces, if 50 desired. The key as shown is triangular in crosssection to conform to and fit in the angle of the picket and present a flat face to the wire. In operation the wire is placed in the slot and held to the inner ends thereof, and the key is inserted from the top between the wire and the inner angle of the picket and driven downward the desired distance, thereby transversely spanning the slotand forcing the wire inwardly, so that the said edges of the picket at the ends of the slot bite into the wire and firmly hold the same against longitudinal movement through the picket. It should be noted that the said biting edges at the inner ends of the slot are arranged approximately longitudinal of the picket and transversely of the wire and at the ends of the kink in the wire, so that the wire bends in oversaid sharp edges. The keyis held in its proper upright position by fitting in the angle of the bar, and hence when the metal parts, such as the picket and wire, expand the key automatically drops by reason of its weight and still maintains the parts in the locked position, prcventin g looseness, and when the parts contract the key maintains its position, and thereby increases the tightness of the joint or look.

The picket can have any desired number of slots suitably spaced, so that the pickets can be manufactured and adapted to fences of various formations. The pickets can thus be made and sold as articles of manufacture.

Having thus fully described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

The picket consisting of the metal bar, substantially as set forth, having the straight slot through the apex thereof extending into the opposite sides of the bar at right angles to the plane thereof, said sides of the bar formed with the inwardly-projecting biting edges (6, a at the ends of said slot, the fence-wire in said slot having the lateral ollset 0, between and terminating at said edges which bite and hold the wire, and the locking-wedge c, in the angle of the bar and fitting the offset 1), and forcing the wire against said edges, all combined as shown.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK ROBERT PARKE t. Witnesses:

A. D. WEBB,

F. A. ALL\VARDT. 

